Toad spawn. View of the spawn of the Bufo typhonius toad deposited in water. When a male toad encounters a female ready to spawn he climbs onto her ba

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Toad spawn. View of the spawn of the Bufo typhonius toad deposited in water. When a male toad encounters a female ready to spawn he climbs onto her back. When the female is ready to ovulate, eggs (brown) are released into the water encapsulated in long fibres of jelly. The eggs are quickly fertilised by the male's sperm. The nuclei of the eggs divide to form embryos. These develop until tiny tadpoles emerge to feed on the jelly. Eventually they free themselves from the jelly, swim off and continue to feed on algal growth. Photographed in Ecuador.

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Size: 3543px × 2682px
Photo credit: © DR MORLEY READ/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: amphibian, animal, bufo, egg, nature, spawn, toad, typhonius, wildlife, zoology